“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The King James Bible translation uses the word Gentleness in Galatians 5:23; however, most modern bibles translate it as Kindness.
Whether Gentleness in the King James version or Kindness in the more modern versions, it’s a Christ-like character that all believers should demonstrate.
The dictionary defines Kindness as “the quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered.”
The Greek word for Kindness is “chrestos,” which means useful. In other words, fill the needs of those around us and be useful to those whom we come in contact with.
Kindness is the characteristic that led God to provide salvation for us in Titus 3:4-5. Romans 2:4, 11:22
When Sarah cast out Hagar and Ishmael, God showed them kindness in the form of water and hope. (Genesis 21:9-21)
God expressed His kindness again when He provided for Elijah and the widow of Zarephath during a drought and when He raised her only son from the dead. 1 Kings 17:8-24
On many occasions, Kindness induced Jesus to stop what He was doing to help those who were in need. (Mark 6:34, 7:29, 10:46-52)
One example is the story of the Good Samaritan, who provided physical and financial support for an enemy stranger. The same could be said for the father of the prodigal son in the gospel of Luke. He showed Kindness in welcoming back to the family the son who abandoned him.
The Good Shepherd showed the ultimate kindness by giving His life for the sheep so we could spend eternity in His presence.
The world's kindness has strings attached, such as self-centeredness, showing kindness only when others are watching or when it benefits them.
As believers, the kindness that we exhibit comes from the Holy Spirit, which is the opposite of that of the world. It means meeting the needs of others without the need for recognition, and it is designed to lead others to Christ. This is why it is essential for us to practice Kindness in our everyday lives.